Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-02
failed; now I will succeed or leave my

hcarcr, and wc assured him that we
would stand ny him, and if need be, die
with him. He graspcd our hands and we
hurried to tEe platform, for the train was
now almost due. had said nothing in
the discussion, for | felt That we were
under the leadership Of Andrews, and
should simply obey, leaving the reepon-
sihility to rest on him. | am not sure
that, ON later critical occasion, we did
not carry this principle little too far.
Although we only needed tickets to Big
Shanty we purchased them to various
points along the line that attention might
/ not be attracted by such II number bound
! to one place. As the train came up we
noticed three closed box cars attached.
! Every passenger train, rs | have since
been Informed by Conductor Fuller, was
at this time required to carry empty cars
nortl,ward, which were brought back
| filled with bacon and other provisions
/ vast quantities of which were then being
| CLEANED out Of Tennessee and stored in
| Atlanta We all took our places close to.
| gether in one car, that we might be ready
! to help each other in case of need Knight
/ sat near the front door, and says that on
looking back he saw that most Of our men
/ were pale, yet rCSOlutc The passengers
/ had that listless and weary uir always
] II
| train.
The conductor, whose narlc we after
! ward learned was William A. Tuilcr, en-
tered and began to take the tickets lie
! looked narrowly at us for it was an un-
/ common thing for SO many persons to en-
! ter in body as did at Marietta: besides
! he had been warned very recently to
watch that no cUnScriptS used lis train
for the purpose of escaping, and ordered
i'll case of suspicion, to telegraph for help
at once, No doubt we looked soldierly
enough, but he aftcrWHrd told me that he
did not suspect US of being conscripts
We also scrutinzcd him carefully for it
was possible that he might if his sus-
picionS were in the least aroused, en-
deavUr to prevent us from taking his
/ train.
lie was quite young for conductor,
| being, as we afterward learned, only 2G,
though he had been for seven years i'm
that position. He had IA frank. genial.
but resolute face. was of medium size.
and looked active and strong
We had little leisure for looking at the
grand form Of Kcnc~aW mountain. which
rose on our left. and around the base of
which the road describes almost u half
circle, and then turns away before it
reaches Big Shanty. Here was fought
one of the severest battles of the war be-
tween Sherman and Johnston; but this,
| with their prolonged struggle over the
whole line of this railway, did not come
until two years later The question of
deepest interest to Us. and one which
would be quickly solved, was, GLOW much
of Il fight will we have at Biz Shanty:
If the train is left guarded during break
fast time we will have to overcome the
guards; if anybody sees us going on the
engine. and a rush is made to prevent, We
will have To fight sharply and at close
Quarters-the most deadly kind of fight
| ing Every revolver had been carefully
examined at Marietta before we slept and
every preparation made, 50 there was
nothing to do but to wait as patiently as
| we could
1t was thrilling moment when the
conductor called ont, big Shanty, twenty
minutes for breakfast" and we could see
the white tents of the rebel troops and
even the guards slowly pacing their beats.
| Big Shanty now called kcncsaWI had
been selected for the seizure because it
was Il breakfast station, and because it
had no telegraph Office. When Andrews
had been here ON the previous expedition,
few troops We're seen, but the number was
now greatly increased 1t is difficult to
tell Just how many were actually here
for they We're constantly coming and
going; but there seems to have been three
or four regiments numbering not far
from 1000 men each. They were en-
camped almost entirely ON the west side
If the road, but their camp guard included
the railroad depot. AS soon as the train
stopped, the conductor, engineer fireman,
and most Of the passengers hurried fo-
! If int 40 In Sha ba
east side of the road, which gave the place
its name. No guard whatever was left
n fortunate circumstance for us, but not
at all unusual on southern roads even
when not so well guarded by soldiers as
this train was Now was our Opportu-
nifty! yet for u moment we were com
PEELED TO keep our seats and wait the APP
pointed signal by our leader. 1t required
strong effort of will to keep from rush
ing forward We had no desire for eating
as we saw the passengers leaving their
seats around us and pouring i'll to break
fast. The moments seemed hours; for we
knew that when the signal was given. we
must do our work in less than half a min
ute or be slaughtered ON the spot; we also
knew that any one of us who failed to get
on board with the rest would he lost; but
we did not know how long during the
twenty minutes Andrews would wait. II
anything could be gained by waiting five
or ten minutes we Sere sure chat he, with
his marvellous GOODNESS, would wait and
expect us to do the same. 1t seemed nj
ready Il considerable interval, for the last
passenger who wanted breakfast had left
the train and disappeared within the
room.
But Andrews did not mean delay. II,
had been absent from the car for II time ~
we came up the road and had only jus
returned, and taken his seat close to thu
door. Now he quietly rose, and withou
turning his head toward us, stepped t
the door with the crowd that was pouring
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